Tag: bread

Today I am excited to share with you a company I recently learned about. California Country Gal is a family business that unexpectedly grew out of a single recipe that was being developed in a kitchen for a cookbook. California Country Gal makes a variety of Real Breads and Baking Mixes using nutrient dense and high quality “real” ingredients. The mixes are made without grains, dairy, sugar, soy, yeast, and extracted starches. The results are a truly healthy and delicious line of products.

It’s a quick and simple process for the home baker, even the not so experienced bakers. It really is that easy to make. Simply add water, apple cider vinegar and eggs, and in one hour or less you’ll have delicious gluten free bread!

From Sandwich Bread to Cinnamon Rolls and Hamburger Buns, California Country Gal has a product for all your bread needs.

The mixes can also be used to make pancakes, brownies, cookies, cake, pizza crust and more! California Country Gal provides a whole range of recipe ideas on their website.

GRAIN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES DIRECTIONS

1 CUP of any REAL BREAD™ BAKING MIX

2 eggs

6 TABLESPOONS melted butter or shortening

1/3 CUP of your favorite sweetener

1/2 teaspoon stevia

1 TABLESPOON vanilla

1/2 CUP chocolate chips

Combine all the ingredients except the Baking Mix.

After combined, stir BAKING MIX into bowl of combined ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

Note: baking mixes test at <5ppm for gluten. The industry standard for a certified product is <10ppm or less. California Country Gal is not certified gluten free, however they strive for the best possible products at all times and have begun testing regularly. If you have extreme allergies, always consult with your doctor and educate yourself to know about what is acceptable for your particular diet.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I was not paid to write this review.

The nutritional benefits of sprouting are popping up all over the web and in many of the culinary magazines I read. Sprouted breads maximize nutrition and digestibility, and thanks to Food For Life are now available to the gluten free community.

While there are many gluten free breads on the market today, not all are healthy, provide the nutrients we need, made with quality ingredients or have that soft chewy texture of “regular” bread. And, that is really the inspiration behind Food For Life’s Sprouted For Life™ Gluten-Free Breads. Finally, a completely gluten free bread line specifically created with your health in mind. Not only are they gluten free, but they are also vegan, and are made from incredibly nutritious superseeds like sprouted quinoa, sprouted millet and sprouted chia seeds.

All Food For Life’s gluten free products are all natural and made with organic ingredients when possible. There is no artificial anything, no chemicals, no preservatives, no GMOs, no dairy, no casein and no egg.

The texture is great; it reminds me of sandwich bread I ate as a little girl. But the taste can take some getting used to. While I enjoyed the nutty flavor of the almond flavor, the cinnamon raisin left a funny aftertaste in my mouth. When I toasted it and added a little butter, that aftertaste went away a bit. Ff you enjoy an earthy and nutty taste, then you’ll probably like these sprouted grain bread.

Food For Life’s Sprouted for Life Gluten Free Breads are available in Whole Foods Markets, Trader Joe’s, and natural food stores throughout the country. Click here to find a retail location nearest you.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I was not paid to write this review.

I’ve been using Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten free products for years. I love their high quality products, and they never disappoint. Did you know that Bob’s Red Mill has over 400 non-GMO products, many of which are also gluten free or certified organic. Bob’s Red Mill has a dedicated gluten free facility in Portland, Oregon where it mills, tests and packages its gluten free items to avoid any chance of cross contamination.

The flour can be used to make pizza crusts, cakes, crackers, pancakes, flatbreads, cookies, and a variety of other baked foods. Alternately, it may be used in breadings for meats and vegetables.

I used Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour to make my favorite banana pumpkin bread! This bread is a bit more dense than most banana bread, because of the pumpkin, but it is really tasty, and it’s paleo! I like to add unsweetened coconut flakes to one of the two mini loaves I make, and I must say this makes it! The one with the coconut was less dense and more moist.

With an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat sugar and butter. Add in applesauce.

Beat in eggs, water, banana, pumpkin, water and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl combine flour, and all remaining ingredients.

Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until smooth.

Add in coconut flakes, nuts or chocolate chips.

Pour batter into two greased, small loaf pans or one 9x5x3 pan and bake for 40-60 minutes.

Gluten Free Boston and Beyond http://glutenfreebostonandbeyond.com/

Bob’s Red Mill’s new Paleo Baking Flour is a grain-free, gluten-free blend of almond flour, arrowroot starch, coconut flour and tapioca flour. Bob’s Red Mill said it created the alternative flour after seeing the popularization of “paleo-inspired living.” The launch of the new flour is consistent with Bob’s Red Mill’s mission of “moving people back to the basics” and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, the release of the new paleo baking flour was spurred on by the success of the company’s nut flours, which are some of my favorite products!

Keeping in line with the rest of Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free products, the new Paleo Baking Flour complies with gluten-free safety standards and is produced in a completely gluten-free facility.

The new Paleo Baking Flour hasn’t even hit the shelves yet and has only been available online since June 1. And today, one lucky reader will have the chance to win the new Paleo Baking Flour!! To enter, simply click on the rafflecopter below.

This giveaway will end on July 13, 2016 at 11:59pm. Open to US residents only.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I was not paid to write this review.

Bread SRSLY is San Francisco’s first gluten-free sourdough bread company. The company began late in 2011 after it’s founder, Sadie, had a furious bout of gluten-free sourdough experiments in her home kitchen in Cole Valley. But the story starts well before that. After a friend went gluten free in 2009, Sadie began baking and experimenting with new ingredients – sorghum flour, sweet rice, buckwheat. Many of her attempts ended up in the compost, but when one came out well, she would ask her friend to try it. During this time she developed a good understanding of gluten free ingredients, and a few months later she learned that she was pretty seriously gluten-intolerant herself!

That’s when she redoubled her efforts in the kitchen, focusing on making the perfect loaf of gluten-free bread. In 2011 she began selling bread to friends and not long after word spread catapulting Bread SRSLY into a full-time business.

Bread SRSLY was created after months of research, applying traditional sourdough techniques to gluten-free recipes and learning that good bread takes its time to rise. Each Bread SRSLY loaf rises for more than 12 hours, making it SERIOUSLY good for you. In addition to being gluten-free, all Bread SRSLY products are free of dairy, egg, soy, nut, potato, tapioca, and garbanzo.

Bread SRSLY is committed to making nourishing bread. Each loaf is leavened with wild yeast, cultivated from the air and grain. Unlike commercial yeast, wild yeast helps to break down the grains, making them easier to digest, and adding a pleasant tang that we call sourdough.

Bread SRSLY sourdough loaves is available in a few different flavors – classic, kale and seeded, as well as in rolls. The bread is great for sandwiches! There was one small hole in my bread (see photo above) but so much smaller than I usually find in other leading brand name sandwich breads.

You can purchase loaves and mixes online and shipping is always only $5.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I was not paid to write this review.

MyBread Bakery is a 100% dedicated gluten free and nut free wholesale bakery located in Chicago, IL. Their goal is to provide the highest quality and best tasting baked goods for the gluten free lifestyle. They are a pretty new company, just about two years old and fortunate enough to land their products in Whole Foods throughout the U.S. (once you try the products you will know why Whole Foods was quick to pick them up!)

You can saw that I was beyond excited when MyBread Bakery reached out to me asking if I would like to try their Gluten free flatbread pita. Of course I was thrilled! The last time I had pita bread was….so long ago that I don’t remember.

The Original flavor flatbread is gluten, dairy, nut and soy free. And the new Ancient Grain with Chia & Flax flavor is also gluten, dairy, egg, nut and soy free. We are a pretty new company, just about two years old located in Chicago.

I had the chance to try both flavors and I fell in love! Jeremy and I have been eating the flatbread all week. We used it as pita with falafel, chicken and hummus, and we made individual size pizzas for dinner last night.

When baked, there isn’t much of a difference in taste. We enjoyed both and don’t have a preference of one over the other. The only thing we did notice was the texture. The original browns quicker and more easily and has a harder, crunchier texture (when used as pizza) than the Ancient Grain.

Like many gluten free bread products and baked goods, you can find MyBread in the freezer section of Whole Foods (one package contains 6 pita flatbreads). It’s also used by restaurants, such at Roti Mediterranean Grill and Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill in NYC. To use, simply take it out of the freezer and thaw out when you plan on eating. Thawed bread should be toasted/browned using an oven, toaster, skillet (no oil needed), grill etc.

When we made pizza, we didn’t thaw the flatbread, we took it out of the freezer, put the sauce, cheese and toppings on and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. The pitas will last up to 6 months in the freezer.

Now for the giveaway! The team at MyBread Bakery has offered to give one lucky reader the chance to win both flavors of pita bread! To enter, simply click on the rafflecopter below.

This giveaway will end on September 14, 2015 at 11:59pm. Open to U.S. residents only.

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free and was provided compensation for brunch. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I can’t believe this month is almost over!! I had so much fun trying new products and sharing them with you! Today I have another great product to share with you all – Bagelinos®!! (and one last giveaway tomorrow!!)

Bagelinos® is one of the best new products I have come across in a while. Partly because I haven’t eaten a bagel – or anything bagel-like – in a long long time, and also because they are just that good. Jeremy even gives them a two thumbs up.

Everyone at Bagelinos® believes the Gluten Free Community deserves food options that are tasty, nutritionally balanced, and free of gluten and added preservatives. Their mission is to provide savory options to those with gluten intolerance, wheat allergies and those who follow a wheat-free diet.

A Bagelinos® is described as an original Gluten Free Breakfast Pastry. Well, I’m not sure if I would put this in the “pastry” category. I think it’s more of a bagel. But either way, it is absolutely delicious! One taste of it’s light, salty sweet flavor that melts in your mouth, savory cheese filling and you’ll be “bagelin” for more!

Bagelinos® are ready to eat and simple to use but most importantly, delicious (I know I’m being redundant with saying they are delicious but they really are that good!). Bagelinos® are great as a breakfast pastry, sandwich bun, dessert or anytime snack. Heating Bagelinos® is simple.

Made to order and shipped over night :)

Each Bagelinos® is baked to order and then, individually wrapped in a microwave and conventional oven safe bag, to ease reheating and avoid cross contamination. Since this is a preservative free product it requires immediate freezing upon delivery (unless you are going to eat it right away!).
The secret to Bagelinos® recipe is the use of only the finest ingredients, 100% all natural gluten free tapioca, white cheese for that irresistible savory taste. Naturally Trans Fat free, they never ever add preservatives.

The manufacturing facilities based in New Jersey, are Gluten Free, USDA and Kosher Certified. They use the most wholesome gluten-free ingredients, to bring market products that are both healthy and delicious.

Try some Bagelinos® and you’ll understand why some many are saying… It’s hard to believe they´re Gluten Free!

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I was not paid to write this review.

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without some kind of stuffing at the table. I always loved traditional made-from-scratch stuffing growing up. When I began my gluten free diet in 2009 we started experimenting with different kinds of stuffing—wild rice with craisins and walnuts, brown rice with apples and pecans, paleo-style stuffing with sausage, vegetables and dried cranberries— but nothing ever satisfied my desire for “real stuffing”.

We never ate ready-made stuffing so I never thought to find a gluten free variety. Until now that is.

Located in Branford, Connecticut, Aleia’s Gluten Free Foods is a team of culinary trained chefs who handcraft and market a delicious line of all natural, CSA (Celiac Sprue Association) approved, and Kosher Certified, gluten free foods, which includes bread, croutons, stuffing mixes, bread crumbs, panko, and eight unique artisan cookies.

The kind folks over at Aleia’s were so kind to send me some of their savory stuffing mix to sample.

Aleia’s gluten free savory stuffing is perfectly seasoned with a balanced blend of herbs and spices. You will want to serve it as a side dish year round! It is flavorful, aromatic, and incredibly delicious! It reminds me of the stuffing I ate as a little girl.

In addition to the savory stuffing mix, Aleia’s also makes a plain stuffing mix. Both stuffing mixes are gluten free, soy free, and Kosher.

Directions for oven baked stuffing:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet pan, medium heat, melt butter; add onions, celery and carrots. Sautè until vegetables are tender.
3. Add stock, bring to a boil then remove the pan from the heat.
4. Place stuffing mix into a large bowl, pour mixture from pan over stuffing. Toss lightly until well mixed.
5. Spoon the mixture into a greased casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes or until hot. For a crispy top, remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

Aleia’s Gluten Free has a line of eighteen all natural, gluten free products that are available in over 3,000 grocery stores and distributed from coast to coast. Aleia’s products are available at Whole Foods, Hannaford, Roche Bros, and local Health Food Stores. To find a location near you click here.

Two days after I made this stuffing, my mom called me from the grocery store to ask if I had heard of a company called Aleia’s. While she was at Hannaford’s looking for gluten free stuffing for our Thanksgiving meal, the grocer recommended she try this new line they just started carrying. True story.

Disclaimer: I received these products for free to sample and review for my blog. I was not paid for my review and all opinions are my own.

I often find myself thinking, Why can’t there be gluten free low carb bread products that tastes great and doesn’t have the consistency of a sponge? The Great Low Carb Bread Company has found the answer. The Great Low Carb Bread Company makes great tasting low carb, gluten free breads, bagels and buns that won’t raise your blood sugar.

All the gluten free low carb buns, muffins, bagels, and granola are also paleo and have no additives, preservatives, or anything else but wholesome ingredients.

I recently had the chance to try the line of gluten free items— they also have a line of non-gluten free low carb bread products for anyone in your family who is interested.

The first thing I tried was the granola. Available in 3 flavors, Cinnamon, Coconut, Maple, all three are made with all natural and non-GMO ingredients. The granola is also sugar free, though it does have 3 grams of sugar from stevia. For those of you who like sweet granola, this is not for you. But if you are like me and don’t like sugary granola then you are sure to like this!

This morning I had the bagel for breakfast. The bagel was thin, which has to do with there being no yeast in it. With that said, this is the ONLY bagel I have ever found without yeast; something else I cannot eat. So looks aside, I toasted the bagel, added my lactose free, dairy free, gluten free Go Veggie cream cheese and enjoyed a bagel for the first time in years!!

This bagel had a slightly different taste and texture than ‘’normal’’ bagels, but I really liked it nonetheless.

If you are looking for tasty, nutrient dense, grain free, gluten free muffins, bagels, granola or buns then look no further! I highly recommend you check out all the great products the Great Low Carb Bread Company has to offer.

Last October I attended the Healthy Villi’s Gluten Free Expo and tried for the first time, Breads from Anna. I remember loving the breads; the taste, texture, consistency were all incredible. But since then I have not been able to find Breads from Anna in any of my local grocery stores.

So when I received a box of six mixes last week, I was beyond thrilled. I was so excited that I got baking right away!

Anna’s first baking mix, the Original Gluten, Soy, Nut, and Rice Free Bread Mix, was introduced in 2004. As her business began to grow she found that many people with Celiac Disease also had other food allergies they needed to manage. In response, Anna has developed a complete line of 12 gluten and allergen free baking mixes that are sold on-line and in hundreds of stores and bakeries all over the world.

Breads from Anna line of gluten free items include 12 mixes:

Original Bread Mix

Corn and Dairy Free Bread Mix

Class Herb Bread Mix

Yeast Free Bread Mix

Banana Bread Mix

Pumpkin Bread Mix

Pie Crust Mix

Apple Pancake and Muffin Mix

Cranberry Pancake and Muffin Mix

Maple Pancake and Muffin Mix

Pizza Crust Mix

Black Bean Brownie Mix

All products are all natural, Non-GMO, Kosher certified, gluten free, soy free, rice free, and nut free. Many of the mixes are also free of corn, dairy, potato, and yeast. None of Anna’s products are made with refined sugars, rice flours, fillers, additives or preservatives.

Anna sent me the following mixes to try and review: Pumpkin Bread, Banana Bread, Yeast Free bread, Black Bean Brownie, Pie Crust, and Maple Pancake and Muffin. All were super easy to make.

The bread mixes were by far my favorite. Each one was flavorful and had amazing texture. The loaves rose beautifully without yeast— all three bread mixes I made were yeast free.

The pumpkin bread was a deliciously spiced bread with a moist and smooth texture. It was not grainy or crumbly like many gluten free bread mixes I’ve tried. My dad also loved the pumpkin bread and didn’t even realize at first that it was gluten free!

The banana bread was also a hit; Jeremy really liked this one. It was also moist and had a great banana flavor.

The yeast free bread was also a winner. I don’t have a bread maker but it came out just fine cooked in my oven. The taste was amazing and made excellent sandwich bread. I also cut a few thicker slices to make French toast and it held up quite nicely to the egg and milk mixture.

The black bean brownies were a big disappointment. I did not like them at all. I was surprised because the breads were excellent. It is optional to add chocolate chips or walnuts, something I did not do and wish I had. Perhaps it would have tasted better with the add-ins.

The maple pancake and muffin mix made great pancakes but not so great muffins. The flavor of the muffins was not the issue. The consistency of the muffins was similar to a non-fluffy pancake, if you can imagine that. And the mix is just not sweet enough to be muffins, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sugar!

But, as pancakes the un-sweetness was perfect. The pancakes were not very fluffy, but rather they were pretty flat. The texture was ok but the taste was still pretty good.

Anna provides recipes online for each of her mix for those of you who like to experiment. For example the pumpkin bread mix can be used to make the pumpkin bread recipe provided on the box, or muffins, zucchini bread or carrot cake. The black bean brownie mix can also be used to make ice cream sandwich cookies or peanut butter cookies. You get the picture.

Anna’s mixes are sold throughout the United States and online at Anna’s or Amazon. To find a location nearest you click here. Prices range from $5.99-$9.49 (most items are $7.49).

Disclaimer: I received these products for free to sample and review for my blog. I was not paid for my review and all opinions are my own.

From sandwich loaves to pizza dough, naan, and scones, Ellen Brown’s Gluten-Free Bread: More than 100 Artisan Loaves for a Healthier Life has a recipe for just about any form of bread you could ever crave.Ellen Brown is a veteran foodie and author of more than 35 cookbooks. She is founding food editor of USA Today and her writing has been featured in various publications.

Brown provides recipes from savory to sweet, from standards like dinner rolls, sandwich bread, and hamburger buns, to international breads like lavash, socca, arepas, and injera.

With all the different flours, starches, and other alternative ingredients, baking without gluten can seem complex and intimidating. However, Ellen Brown does a terrific job explaining the essentials and providing recipes that are easy to follow.

I made Socca, a traditional dish from Nice, France, which is naturally gluten free and vegan. There are many different ways to make it (broiled, baked, etc). However you chose to make it, the recipe itself is nearly universal. Brown’s recipe was super easy to make. The edges were crispy and the pancake-thin slices have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor from the chickpeas. Instead of using Rosemary, try oregano or one of your other favorite herbs.

I was especially fond of this socca recipe. Both chewy and crispy, it can be served as an appetizer or main course.

Gluten Free Bread is filled with some really great information about the gluten free diet/lifestyle, what gluten free flours are best to use, useful tips, and basic information about why switching to gluten free could be beneficial to your health. Another thing I really like about this book is that each recipe offers alternatives for different variations or add-ons.